Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Doesn't the fixed fee indicate that apple half-admits that there is a problem?

My 2011 Macbook went from perfectly fine too totally dead in a two day period... This is definitely the problem, glad to find this thread!

Unfortunately apple doesn't acknowledge the problem and said when I called that not enough people have called about the issue for them to do anything about it...'

-If you do have a problem I would recommend calling Apple and mentioning this article, it seems to be a widespread problem and seems like it deserves an Apple response... The customer service reply that "I don't for-see any type of response from Apple about a two year old machine" personally doesn't cut it for me... It's barely more than TWO YEARS OLD; thats a recent computer and with the good history of longevity in apple products, this deserves some type of response.

230,000 views and 2,600 responses has got to count for something Apple... 

Call Apple Care!

Just wanted to add my MacBook Pro to the list .13 inch, 2.7 GHz intel core i7, 8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3, 1TB HDD, Intel HD Graphics 3000 512 MB graphics, running OS X 10.9.1 (13B42) .My problem is mainly the system crash the entire OS locks up and just stops, there seems to be no trigger for the problem it just happens. When the system crashes the computer is then un-recoverable and you have to cycle the power and upon reboot the screen flickers and takes up to 20 minutes sitting on a gray screen and when the mac finally gets back to the desktop the graphics are completely shot, which the only fix seems to be is a second reset. I have spent the last two days on apple support trying to find a solution but i just seem to be passed around in circles. Any suggestions out there?

Same video death problem here -- twice.  On my work machine (actually a Late-2011 MBP 2.2GHz), the issue became so frequent and so severe in October that they gave me a new one.  Symptoms were random video garbage filling the screen, as I used to see with dying NuBus video cards.  The mouse pointer would remain active on the screen, but everything else was completely frozen and non-responsive.  At first the problem occured monthly, then weekly, then daily, and finally, every few hours.  That was the end.

Now it's starting to appear on my personal machine, an Early-2011 MBP 2.0GHz.  I really hope Apple does something about the problem at large before this one dies, too.

Same problem here. Keeping it pinned to the integrated GPU and not letting the display go to sleep seems to help for the time being, but who knows how long that will be.

This is my third Apple laptop (PowerBook G4 and 2 MacBook Pros), and it may well be my last. A similar, widespread problem on 2 different classes of machines points to either the design of the computer or a supplier as being responsible - in either case, it's for Apple to own up to it.

Fortunately I'm not tied to a Mac, so if it comes down to it that I need a new machine to be able to get work done, I'll be looking elsewhere.

Well I just left the Apple store a bit ago after having these problems. Said it was certainly GPU and now a third logic board. The tech did confirm that they will "recondition" a board up to three times! So remove the old chip but the new one back on the old board and them put it back in the repeat cycle. Thankfully I have Apple Care but they need to do something better than just putting in reconditioned boards without a true fix!

I've run AHT in normal and extended mode, and it hasn't found anything.

But whenever I use the discrete graphics, I get flashing boxes and other screen corruption.  No issues booting up yet.  I have had 2 lockups today though, one which required a hard power-down.  That's a first.

I first noticed this after Mavericks, and maybe after 10.9.1.  I'll be honest I can't remember.  At first it was a few flickering miscolored squares on the desktop and it was pretty intermittent.  It's gotten worse over the last few weeks to the point that I can't use discrete graphics.  Today I had to unplug my secondary monitor it was so bad.  Now I am toying with disabling the AMDRadeonX3000.kext to keep it from switching altogether.  I don't really use it for anything really intensive (other than running the 2nd monitor) so we'll see if this helps.

I am suspicious of Mavericks changing something since that's when it started, but I don't have the tools or knowledge to prove this for sure.

I do intend on taking it in to the Genius Bar to see how much a new logic board will cost.  My work did not pay for AppleCare when they bought it.  Too bad, because I would have still been covered, and it would have cost less than repairing.  Oh well.

And this is the 2nd MBP that I've had graphics issues with where a logic board was likely at fault.  The last was a late-2008 with the Nvidia graphics (1st gen unibody).  Went through 3 logic boards before it stopped having problems.

FYI, if it's the X3000 your system is using, or if you can't find it (try kextstat | grep AMD), then it's not ATIRadeonX3000.kext, but AMDRadeonX3000.kext you want to copy.

How long did it take Apple to respond to the 2011 iMac QC failure?

I am having the same problem with my early 2011 15" macbook. Here is a video showing what it looks like when it happens while working on something. This video was shot a couple days after taking it to apple. They wiped the drive and reinstalled mavericks, ran some tests and called me back saying it was in perfect working order. Even before testing it, they proposed that I would probably need to have the logic board replaced. I recommended that the computer be tested first before I go spending $600 bucks on a new logic board which will end up just failing again. Reminds me of the RROD nightmare with my xbox 360. Hope this gains popularity enough to force Apple to take action. I have a $2400 paperweight, not happy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFelGLHKQKI

Hey, I have the same problems as you all. I notice, that the problem chase up, when I attach any external cables, or try to use Skype, or use webcam generally. But the picture of screen is the same as yours. I need to push down the "on-off" buttun and wait 10-20 minutes until the machine get "relax". Then I can turn it on and use it. I have even problems with attaching any mouse or other usb-units on it. When I do it, then the screens goes "crazy" again. I hope Apple read these treads and react to keep its name and reputation and do something for it...I have also 2001, 15" pro.

Those of you who contacted Tim Cook, how long would you say it took before you received a reply? I emailed him last Wednesday and I have not heard back yet.

Thanks!

Took about four hours in my case to get a phone call from executive relations.

CEO isn't your dad. He won't give you free money, nor insta response.

I sent two friendly emails about the issue, the first one a month ago. No reply yet.